Method and means to facilitate the distribution of fuel in internal-combustion engines



April 28, 1925- J. W. SWA METHOD AND MEANS TO FACILITA'I'E THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 mom How.

W agn April 28, 1925- W. SWAN CILITATE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL IN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. METHOD AND MEANS TO FA INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 5, 1924 1 IIIJIII: |l|.|....|||

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CILITATE THE DISTRIBUTION or' FUEL IN 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 SWAN Filed Nov.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION METHOD AND MEANS TO FA April 28, 19 25- I a tented Apr. 1925.

UNITEDT'STATES 1,536,044 P rENr OFFICE.

JOHN w. swan, or onnvtennnnoaro. ME'rnon AND MEANS i'o FACILITATE THE DIs'lrRniUrIoN- orrUEL I'N' .ILITERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINESN Application filed November To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, JOHN W. SWAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the-county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iii-Methods and Means to.Facilitate the Distribution of Fuel in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the followingis a vspecificatbn, reference be ing had therein to the accompanying drawmixing idevicefto the cylinders of a multicylinder internal combustion engines. The invention has to doprimarily with the conducting and distributing, of whatis now known in the art as cold mixtures or mixtures resulting from passing the air under normal atmospheric temperature through a mlixing'device, such as a carburetor, but can also be employed in conducting and distributing mixtures which are varied in temperature. by any of the usual means. It is well known in the art that such mixtures referred to .as cold mixtures contain particles of the fuel in a liquid state when introduced into the manifold, and that a portion of these particles remain in liquid form until admission into the engine cylinders.

I This. invention relates to a method of con- There are numerous carburetorsuin use and on theinarket'that are adapted'to furnish I mixtures of satisfactory character to meet the requirements of the motor underall the varying conditions of load and speed to which the motor is subjected, especially as used in motor cars, or, under 'sinrilar conditions. demonstrated that due to the customary construction of manifolds, the appropriate ratio I-Iowever, previous practice has- 5, 1924. semi No.'747,991.

of airfand fuel thusi initially established is subst-antlally varied as the mixture passes on to the cylinders, resulting in serieusly unequal air .fuel ratio mixtures being delivered to the cylinders, whereby some cylinders receive a rich mixture while others receive a relatively impoverished mixture.

It has also been demonstrated that it is difiicult to completely vaporize-the fuel constitutents of the mixture, forthe purpose of aidingdistribution, as by heat application while obtaining satisfactory power performance of the motor.-

lVhena carburetor is properly adjusted, as for power or economy, the proportions of air to fuel by weight approximate twelve to sixteen pounds of air, to'one pound of fuel. The density of liquid fuel is from seven hundred to eight hundred times great-- er than that of air, but when the liquid is converted into gas it is of about equal density with the air. When the fuel is in a gaseous state the average usethereof involves about fourteen volumesof air to one of fuel in the mixture. It'will thus be seen that the volume of air required for a given volume of liquid fuel, will be, on an average, ten

"thousand five hundred times the liquid in volume, that is, ten thousand five hundred to one. Therefore, the least misdirectionof any liqiiid partic1e;=in traveling through a manifold will constitute a grave Kerror in the-ratio of mixture constituents as delivered to the various cylinders. 0 The main object of the present invention is to provide a method. of conductin and delivering the mixture of air and fue constituents from a common source of supply tothecylinders of a multi-cylinder internal'comb'ustion engine, in a manner to favor all of the, cyl'nders of the engine alikewith air and fuel constituents, and'thus obtain satisfactory engine performance under all conditions of operation to which it is subjected in its intended use. t In carrying out thepresent method it is essential that in manifolding, a zone is ."provided, through which"tl1e,'mixture passes from the source of supply to a plurality of ,outlets in its passage to the cylinder ports, also that the influence in'thisfzone on the mixture, in its passage therethrough, is such that no deflection of the mixture constituents can occur which would either divert more of thorn to one opening leading therefrom.

than to another, or disturb the ratio of mixture. constltuents as received thereby.

There are certain fundamental laws wlnch control the i'noven'ients of all bodies (well.

defined in Newtons laws of motion) and these laws must be recognized and be allowed to operate in harmony with any method for the movement of bodies from one state to another. The present method of conducting and distributing air fuel mixtures is based on these laws. The greatest separation or disturbance of fuel ratios takes place whenever there is a change of direction in the movement of the mixture, because of centrifugal force acting to throw the liquid particles out of the intended aggregate line of travel, and thereby separating the mixture constitutents and resulting in uneven final distribution to the various ports, unless properly influenced. when such changes of direction occur.

In this method the liquid particles in the air fuel mixtures instead of being thrown in a direction not intended, as at some curve, are influenced to move in the proper direction and thereby the mixture will be delivered to all the cylinder ports substantially alike 'as to air fuel ratios and substantially as delivered from the mixing device. I

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated-several embodiments of the pres ent invention, so far as the structure of the manifold is concerned, and by the use of which'the practice of my improved method will be facilitated.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewavailed of to assist in imparting a clear understanding of the present improvements Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the manifold Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the manlfold in position the same as in Figure 2;

Figure 4 isa plan of the manifold with parts shown in lIOI'lZODttIl section;

Figure 5 1s a central transverse section of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manifold as applied to a six the ings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views, and first with reference to the diagramn'latic showing of Figure 1 employed to give a preliminary viewof the principles in position relative to the engine;.

- shown at 10, to provide a dome.

underlying the present invention, it will be appreciated that if fourcylinders, as A, B. C and l), are arranged about a centrally arranged intake, as 1 from a n'iixing device as a carburetor, and each cylinder has an equal suction and the branches leading from the intake toward the cylinders are of equal size, then the cylinders drawing their supply from the intake through the branches in proper succession will each get'the same quality and the same quantity of fuel mixture. The reason for this is that the influences or conditions affecting the travel of the mixture to the various cylinders are exactly the same. whether the intake and lateral branches are round or square. The actual metering or distributing of the mixture to each cylinder would take place in the zone at the junction of the lateral branches with the intake. After a charge once started on its way to a given cylinder from the said zone, there would obviously be no further question of distribution because there would be no place for the charge to go other than to the cylinder demanding it.

Referring further to the diagram of Figure 1, it will be noted that by eliminating the cylinder D and moving the cylinders 15 and C up in line with cylinder 1 to conform to the conventional arrangement of cylinders in present day engines, and by interposing an angular turn in the branches leading to the. cylinders B and G, we have a basis for the design of the manifold of the present invention.

Now, referring of the drawings:

In Fig. 6 of the d 'awings 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6 represent the cylinders of a six cylinder internal combustion engine. As shown. Fig. 5, the manifold consists of an 'intake pipe 9, which is connected at its lower end to the carburetor or source of supply and which provides the necessary conduit for the fuel mixture. The bore of the pipe is preferably square, or of such shape that will tend to prevent swirling action of the column of fuel, having its top recessed, as However, such a dome is not absolutely necessary so long as the top surface is of'a shape not to favor any particular outlet. From the intake 9 lead the manifold branches 12, 13 and 14, each of substantially e ual crosssectional area. and the top wa ls of the branches, in that embodiment of the invention illustrated, being preferably spaced slightly below the top of the recess 10 so as to provide thedome with edges 11 at a sharp angle to the walls of the branches. The chamber which. as shown, is formed at the junction of the branches 12. 13 and 1t and below the domed top constitutes the zone from which the mixture will be distributed to the remaining figures This would be true as previously described. alike n all direc; tions with resultant like air fuel ra'tios,ii1 any direction from said zone.

The branches 12, 13 and 14 are angularly related to the intake 9, the branches 12 and 13 extending longitudinally along the motor towards the end cylindersl, 2, 5 and 6 (Fig. The ends of the branches 12 and 13 are each provided with outlets 12 and 13 each angularly disposed to the branches 12 and 13, andprovided with flanges 15, the branch 14 for the intermediate cylinders 3,and 4 beingexactly like the branches 12 and 13 so far as its relation to the distributing zone is concerned. The turns in the branches 12 and 13 are provided with the recesses 16, or other means or formation may be utilized, to influence the mixture constituents in the change of direction so that the mixture is restored in the aggregate to a condition like the condition thereof before reaching the turn. This restoration of the mixture as to character or condition thereof, and the straightening out of the direction of travel of the mixture is .especially needful where an outlet from. a branch is comparatively short', and it is desirable that said outlet deliver the' mixture in the same condition or character to more than one cylinder connected with that outlet.

The intake and the branches, including the outlets therefrom, are, in the embodiment of the invention now being described, preferably square in cross section, but the outlets12 and 13 of the branches 12 and 13 nd the branch 14 are drawn from a square to round formation at or near the flanges so as to register with round cylinder ports where such a condition is tobe met. The movement of the fuel, as it passes from the intake 9 from the carburetor or mixer, and enters" and departs from the distributing zone into.,the ends" of the distributing branches 12, 1,3 and 14 is at all times subject to like forces and like influences so that,.

notwithstanding the change of direction of the mixture through said zone, the mixture charge, as to its air fuel ratios, entering any branch will be substantially identical with the corresponding mixture charge entering the other branches, in succession as demand: ed by the motor.

The movement of the fuel from the chamher 9 to the successive cylinders is in diverse directions as will be determined by the firing order. In other Words, the fuel-to the successive cylinders passes through a different branch each time a cylinder takes its charge.

In the six cylinder engine illustrated and described (see Fig. 6) the firing order would be 1-5-3- 62-4. It will thus be seen that the fuel first passes towards the right end from the distributing chamber or zone to the cylinder 1, the next' chairge then passes to the through the intermediate branch to cylinder 4. It will thus be seen that the direction of travel of the fuel is. changed as it"v passes to the successive cylinders so that there are no two successive flows of fuel through the same branch. The mixture from the carburetor will move in rectilinear. lines to'the d tributing zone where it takes a right angle turn, and after it leaves said zone and in passing through the manifold branches the mixtuie will not pass by any cylinder port but) will flow in similar rectilinear lines throu h the branches, and where required, take rig 1t angle turns into the outlets and cylinders as demanded by the induction cycles of the engine.

In Figure 7 of the drawings the manifold is illustrated as applied to a four-cylinder engine in which the cylinders are indicatedat 1*, 3 and 4?. The manifold is of the same construction as that previously described, the end branch 13 supplying the fuel' to the cylinder 1, the intermediate branch 14 supplying the fuel to the cylinders 2 and 3, and the branch 12 supplying the fuel to the cylinder 4. The firing order of this type of engine is 1 "-4 .2 and it will thus be seen that there are no two sue cessive passages of fuel in the same direction but that the fuel passes in a different direction and through a different branch in going to the successive cylinders.

In Figure 8 of the drawings the intake manifold is shown as applied to an engine of the straight eight-cylinder type, the cylinders being shown at 1 2 3 4 5, 6 7 and 8". The intake manifold is of the same construction as previously described having the two elongated branches and one intermeditae branch and in the form of engine shown, the branch 13 supplies the fuelto the cylinders 1 and 2 and the branch 12 supplies the fuel to the cylinders 7" and S". In order to supply the fuel to the cylinders 3", 4 5 and 6 it is necessary to use an auxiliary manifold which receives its fuel from the intermediate branch 14 of the main manifold. This auxiliary manifold comprises the distributing chamber 17 and the branches 18 and 19, with their angular-1y related outlets'18 and 19, the branch 18 supplying the fuel to the cylinders 3 and 4 and the branch 19 supplying the fuel to the cylinders 5 and 6". The turns of the' 8"-6"-7"4: and it will thus be seen that the direction of flow is changed to each of the successive cylinders, or in other Words, there are no two successive flows of fuel through the same branch.

It is preferable to make all of the manifold, including the intake, distributing chamber, branches and outlets, angular in cross section and of such sections the square section is preferred, but round, hexagon, octagon, or other cross sectional shapes may in instances be resorted to. For example, in Figure 9, I have shown a detailed section of one of the branches with its turn leading to an end cylinder or cylinders, the inside angle of the turn being sharp and the outside rounded. Good results may be obtained in a n'lodification of this character in view of the fact that the wet constituents of the fuel will be caused to be projected beyond the sharp inside angle into the air at the turn etl'eeting a remixing of the constituents incident to the change of direction thus created at the turn.

Although the same is collateral to the main objects and advantages of the invention, it is deserving of note that the formation of my manifold lends itself advantageously to the casting thereof, the ready support of the cores therefor, and the visual inspection of the casting or manifold through the'ends of the casting and laterally through the turns, said ends being in the completed manifold suitably closed as by what are'comn'iercially known as W'elsh plugs 16'.

I have found that the application of heat from the exhaust to the intake or equivalent as at (Fig. 5), is of advantage in so far as it prevents the liquid particles adhering to the walls and thereby slowing up their movement which in turn prevents the engine from accelerating rapidly. Heat applied to a short section of the intake permits rapid movement of the fuel and in turn rapid acceleration of the engine, but on account of the rapid movement of the fuel through this heated section very little if any heat is ab sorbed by the mixture to the extent that volumetric efliciency is impaired. The novel construction illustrated enabling the application of the heat referred to will constitute subject-matter for a separate application and will therefore not be claimed herein.

From the foregoing specification, it will Vhile I have herein illustrated several specific embodiments of my invention, and various details thereof, including the four cylinder type of Figure 7. and the eight cylinder typepf Figure 8, T will not claim such details and embodiments herein specifically because they more properly constitute subjects matter for separate or divisional applications apart from the method and complemental device and six cylinder embodiment thereof set forth in the claims hereof.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to an engine which consists in moving the mixture in a straight line to a zone from which it is distributed to a plurality of engine cylinders, and modifying said movement by forceswhich tend to distribute the mixture uniformly in all directions in a plane transverse to said movement.

2. A method of distributing a fuel 'mixture to an engine which consists in moving the mixture to a zone from which it is distributed to a plurality of engine cylinders, and modifying said movement by forces which tend to distribute the mixture uniformly around the perimeter of the zone.

3. The method of distributing a fuel mixture to an engine which consists in moving the mixture to a zone from which it is distributed to a plurality of engine cylinders, and directing said movement by forces which tend to distribute the mixture uniformly in all directions in a plane transverse to the movement of the mixture into the zone. I

4. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to an engine which consists in moving the mixture in a straight line to a zone from which it is distributed to a plurality. of engine cylinders, directing said movement by forces which tend to distribute the mixture uniformly in all directions in a plane transverse to said movement, and further directing the movement of the mixture by forces tending to move it successively in a plurality of directions transverse to the original direction, to the cylinders.

5. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to an engine Which consists in moving the mixture to a zone through which it is distributed to a plurality of engine cylinders, modifying said movement by forces tending to distribute the mixture in uniform character in various directions in a plane transversely of said zone, and further subjecting the movement of the mixture to forces acting to prevent impairment of the character of the mixture due to influences created by any changes of direction beyond the zone.

6. A method of distributing a fuel. mixture to an engine which consists in movir ig the mixture from a source in various direc-' tions towards the cylinders, and maintaining the quality of the mixture for delivery to the cylinders by subjecting movements thereof to forces in a plane transversely to tion so that the ultimate mixture charge to all cylinders will be substantially alike.

7. A method of d'istributing a fue'l mixture to an engine which includes the moving of the mixture to a zone through which it is distributed in at least three directions in a plane transverse to said movement, and subjecting said movement to forces acting to distribute the mixture in uniform character in all of said directions.

- 8. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to an engine which consists in moving the mixture to a zone through which 1t. is distributed to aplurality of engine cylinders, subjecting said movement to forces act ing to distribute the mixture in uniform character in three directions in a plane transverse to said movement. and further subjecting the movement of the mixture to forces acting to prevent impairment of the character of the mixture due to influences created by any changes of direction beyond the zone.

9. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to a six cylinder engine which includes the moving of the mixture to a zone through which it is distributed in three directions in a plane transverse to said movement, and subjecting said movement to forces tending to distribute charges in alternating directions and in uniform character in all of said directions.

10. A method of distributing a fuel mixture to a six cylinder engine which includes the moving of the mixture to a zone through which it is distributed in three directions in a plane transverse to said movement, subjecting said movement to forces tending to distribute charges in alternating directions and in uniform character in all of said directions, and further subjecting the movement of the mixture towards adjacent pairs of cylinders to forces tending to qualify the charges for said pairs in substantially equal proportions of wet mixture constituents.

11. An inlet manifold comprising a distributing chamber having a single inlet conduit and a plurality of outlet conduits, said chamber being formed of walls the intersections of which form straight lines.

12. In an inlet manifold, a 'distrbuting chamber having a single inlet conduit and a plurality of outlet conduits, said chamber being formed of walls the intersections of which form straight lines, the inlet conduit being at right angles with all outlet conduits.

13.. In an inlet mamfold, a distributing chamber having a single inlet conduit and a plurality of outlet-conduits, said chamber being formed of walls the intersections of Whichform straight lines, one of said walls being opposite the inlet duct and symmetrically shaped and situated relative thereto, so that entering mix-ture may be influenced by said wall uniformly in all diu'ections transversely to the entering stream.

14:. A manifold comprising a distributing being symmetrical with reference to the outlets to uniformly influence entering mixture and cause the same to distribute in uniform character in the directions determined by the outlets, the intake being at right angles with all of the outlets. V

16. A manifold comprising a distributing chamber having-an intake and three outlets, said chamber at a point opposite the intake having a part symmetrically formed and disposed .with reference to the outlet openings to uniformly influence entering mixture and cause the same to distribute in uniform character in the directions determined by the outlets.

17. A manifold comprising a distributing chamber having an intake and three like angularly related outlets, the wall of the chamber opposite the intake being symmetrically formed with reference to the outlets to uniformlyinfiuence entering mixture and cause the same to. distribute in uniform character in the directions determined by the angularly related outlets.

18. In an inlet manifold. a distributing chamber having a single inlet conduit and three branch conduits, one. of the walls of the chamber being opposite the inlet duct and symmetrically formed with reference to the branch ducts so that entering fluid may be influenced by said wall uniformly in all directions transverseto the entering stream.

19. In an inlet manifold, a distributing chamber having an inlet adapted to deliver the mixture in a straight line to said zone.

, and three outlets in a plane transverse to said line, one of the walls of the chamber being opposite the inlet duct and symmetrically formed and situated to effect distribu tion of the mixture uniformly around the perimeter of the chamber.

20. In an inlet manifold, a distributing chamber having a single inlet conduit and three branch conduits, one of the walls of the chamber being opposite the inlet duct and symmetrically formed and situated with reference to the branch ducts so that enteriug fluid may be influenced by said Wall uniformly in all directions transverse to the entering stream, and the branch condults being of substantially uniform shape throughout and at any turn thereof presenting similar walls shaped and situated so that passing mixture may be influenced thereby in a manner to distribute equally to Cylinders to which said turns may lead.

21. A manifold comprising a distributing chamber having an intake and three outlets, a wall of the chamber opposite the intake being symmetrically formed and situated with reference to the outlets to uniformly influence entering mixture and cause the same to distribute in uniform character in the directions determined by the outlets, the inner sides of the outlets at any turns thereof forming substantially right angles.

22. In combination with a six cylinder engine, a manifold comprising a distributing chamber having an intake and three outlets each leading to aepair of cylinders, the wall of the chamber opposite the intake being symmetrically formed and situated with reference to the outlets to uniformly influence entering mixture and cause the same to distribute in uniform character in the successive directions determined by the outlets and induction cycles of the engine.

23. In combination with a six cylinder engine, a manifold comprisinga distributing chamber having a an intake and outlet branches, the wall of the chamber opposite the intake being symmetrically formed and situated with reference to the outlets to uniformly influence entering mixture and cause the same to distribute in uniform character in the directions determined bythe outlets and induction cycles of the engine, the outlet branches being angularly formed to register with the intakes of pairs of cylinders, and the a'ngular formations being shaped and situated so that passing mixture will be influenced thereby in a manner tending to distribute equally to the cylinders of the pair to' which the branches respectively relate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SWAN.

IVitnesses S. D. VVALLAGE, M. H. WILLIAMS. 

